Surreptitious
by NovemberDoll
Summary: He only went incognito to appraise his future queen, the legendary First Daughter of the North. Instead he finds himself in the middle of a furtive plot against his plans, and a fiery perpetrator behind it. (Two-shot or three. We'll see.)
1. Chapter 1

_**A/N:**_ Two-shot! :) Or three. Another short one. I'm trying to concentrate and come back to the unfinished stories. T_T

 _Italicized_ are Sesshomaru's thoughts.

Because you all have your _Beauty and the Beast_ themed stories, then so do I. :)

on a side note, this is AU. Standard disclaimer applies. Different universe, different story. Not following canon. I cant please everyone, nor do I aim to. :D

* * *

 _ **Early Dawn**_

* * *

 _-Aberdev Haven,_

 _T_ _he Outskirts of the Northern Castle-_

The warrior watched in the dark of the shadows, wary of any movement. The mere rustle of the trees from the falling snow, the flight of the migrating birds as they set their journey in the now starless sky would set a restrained trigger that was so hard to control.

But the warrior had to: today was the day.

They had planned this for months. And the warrior would not fail: for the Princess' sake. Because the warrior loved her, and had only wished for her happiness since time beyond remembrance.

She had already sacrificed so much.

A soft scuffling from behind and the warrior in the shadows nimbly turned.

There she was, the First Princess of the North, clad in royal silks, bundled up in fur as white as the slush surrounding them. She was as beautiful as she had always been, looking like she had fallen from the heavens like the snow gently laying rest to the earth. Of course, she would be, her beauty was legendary throughout the four kingdoms of the land.

"You don't have to do this," she said, reaching out to the warrior's hands. And the dark figure- yearning for the warmth of the beautiful woman- reached back and took her gentle offer.

Cold metal gauntlets touched the skin of the Princess' palms, "I would rather die than watch you wither away," the dark figure stepped out of the shadows.

The warrior was a woman- no doubt from the smelted black armor that conformed to her every swell and curve, tailor-fitted and pleated to allow maximum movement. Her face was concealed with a crusader helm, she shook her head in denial. "Kikyo, you deserve so much more—"

"Kagome," Kikyo reached further and took the metal helmet off and smiled. "This is enough. I am content with my fate."

"You say that. But I intercepted your letter to your lover… the one you sent after your betrothal to the Dog Demon of the West." Kagome said. "Keeping my secret has added to the burdens that you bear, and now this. Sister, I am capable. Allow me to repay you." Hooves trudged through the snow, and the warrior pulled her sister's hand.

A discreet single horse-drawn carriage and horseman, two other black-armored soldiers mounted in towering war stallions, and an empty horse… quietly waiting in the dark.

"They're here," Kagome said, raising her dear eldest sister's fur hood, covering her from the heavy fall of the snow. She led the Princess to the carriage, "Sleep for the night. We'll be at our destination when we wake up."

Kikyo nodded her head. And before letting go, her hands glowed a soft blue- wrapping her youngest sister's soul with a temporary warmth. It was her healing energy, one of the reasons why she was sought out by the Kingdoms from far and wide.

Aside from possessing beauty, grace and voice that compared to no other, Kikyo held this unique blue fire that healed and sheltered, it was even rumored to bring the dead back to life.

And she was the only one known to possess magic, between the six daughters of the Northern King.

Kikyo broke contact, the warmth that had filled the youngest sibling leaving instantly. Kagome closed the carriage door, and she strode towards the empty stallion. With memorized strides, she mounted on the saddle-less horse and fitted her helmet back on. Making sure her longbow and quiver were strapped to her back, her axe secured to her hip, she motioned to the three other horsemen before her.

"Miroku, Sango," she nodded, "Shippo," and she pulled on the reins of her horse, "We'll do this as quick and as quiet as the night."

The warrior's breath fogged up before her, the biting freeze beginning to pierce through the cold metal armor yet again. "We have to be home by three days before father returns with the Demon Lord of the West."

They gave a whispered command to their beasts. With a kick to the slush beneath, the horsemen thundered across the white tundra, into the secluded pine forest that led away from the castle.

The plan: evacuate the Princess, reunite her with her lover. And come back before the union and replace the Princess with a virgin maiden, tricking the Demon Lord. Simple, and the Kingdoms shall live happily ever after.

But that was as far as Kikyo knew: that was as far as they had told her.

The sixth princess knew the Great Dog Demon of the West was no fool, what he wanted he would always get. And when he didn't, he had the reputation to be absolutely merciless.

They didn't tell her the second part of the plan. If they did, the First Daughter would not have agreed to this.

Some secrets are best kept hidden, even beyond the grave.

* * *

 _-The Northern Borders-_

Sanctuary.

The word Sesshomaru had never known. The Great Dog Demon, Lord of the Western Lands: feared throughout the Four Kingdoms. He would admit, a long time ago he did care about how his people regarded him. But he had learned his lesson. Since his expansion conflagrated so fast and spread like wildfire, they painted rumors about him as a cold, soulless tyrant.

Never mind that every territory he had taken under his wing had flourished. Never mind that his domains had progressed faster than without his touch. People would rather believe in rumors than the truth…

And the rumors had imprinted into the people's mind that he was a blood-lusting warlord, only in the expansion for the thirst of death and chaos. And he would have believed that himself. The only time he had spent with his mother was when she was tutoring him about war tactics. The only praise he got from his father was when he had wielded his weapons with flawless mastery. And when he was able to achieve his full demon form, that was the only time they smiled.

And ever since he was conscious of the weight of the blood in his hands, he had been searching for his sanctuary.

There were the occasional castle auxiliaries, but they were mere acquaintances. There was his half-brother, but the hanyou would barely even look at him in fear. And there were the harem women, but they only provided temporary warmth and fulfillment for the night.

And come morning, the desperate yearning for that constant warmth would grow again, stronger than before.

It was then that he heard about the First Daughter of the Northern Kingdom. A hanyou with a beauty that no maiden can compare, a voice as beautiful as the nightingale,

And one of the strongest healing energies—

Perhaps she could be his sanctuary. Then he would not need the shallow warmth of the harem girls. She will shelter him in her arms in the quiet of the night, be his strength when he is down on his knees from the weight of all the blood in his spirit, and she could calm the unsatiated craving in his beast's soul.

And in return, he will be her sanctuary; her lover and loyal protector.

But he wanted to know if it was possible. Before everything else, he wanted to find out if he could fall in love with her, and her with him. He was the offspring of a loveless marriage, and he was a firsthand witness to its consequences.

The last thing that he wanted was another silent fixture in the castle.

The Demon Lord paused from his journey. He was in the middle of a frozen lake, on the boundary between the North and the East, and he could see looming figures in the darkness on the other side.

There was a pack of giant wolves guarding the border.

He summoned his youki, trying to gauge if his energy was enough.

Before coming he had bound his energy, restricting it to a mere brush of what it was. He put on his strongest concealment spell, masking his true face into one of a man deformed by fire and heavily scarred by war.

He would pretend to be a _retainer_ , sent by the Western King to brief the Northern Princess with the laws of the Western Land. He wanted to see how the Princess would interact with a physically damaged, lower-ranking servant.

The wolves low growl of warning made golden eyes narrow in attention. He did not expect high-level monsters to stalk the borders. It would only mean that the Kingdom, either the East or the North, was weakening.

And the monsters quietly approached, a predator to their prey. The Demon Lord had finished his calculations: he would be better off in one of his beast forms. And with his restricted energy, he found he could not transfigure into his most feared animus: the colossal Dog Demon.

He morphed into one of the least known of his three forms: a white Inu.

* * *

Her group arrived in the border without any event. As what was expected and what should happen: she had the best warriors of the Royal Army as her allies. It was only them and a handful few, aside from the First Daughter that she trusted with her life. Even her father the King and her four other sisters were not aware of her secret.

She tapped on the window of the small carriage, and the curtains opened. "I thought you were asleep," Kagome whispered.

"I couldn't." came her sister's reply. "Kagome… I am scared."

Kagome couldn't blame her. After this night was a totally different life waiting for the first daughter, her eldest sister. It may not be under the dome of a castle with endless feasts and layers of fine clothing, but it would be comfortable, that Kagome will make sure of. "Don't be. I'll be with you." Kagome tried to assure her. Although she was the youngest and was the least known, the sixth princess still had a significant amount of riches at her disposal to support her Kikyo financially.

And her dear sister will be able to live a life that had been taken away from her because of her sheltering fire. She will be able to speak her mind, do whatever she wanted to do -

And marry her faithful lover, not that Demon Lord whom she did not even know.

The last one was the most significant. Their mother was a swan youkai, and unfortunately, the instinct of monogamy runs heavy in their blood. Once they had chosen a paramour, they cannot bear to love any other until death.

Kikyo reached out to her, "Thank you for doing this,"

"Nay, this is the least I can do. You have kept my secret for so long."

"What will you do after all this?" Kikyo asked, withdrawing her hand, her brown eyes seeking Kagome's blue.

"Don't worry about me." She answered. "I'm just the sixth princess… I'm not worth worrying about." She grinned from behind her helmet. If she were to choose, she would have just run away. Unlike her other sisters, she loved the thrill of danger. This was most probably attributed to her secret.

She would run away and become a rogue or mercenary in another Kingdom, fall in love with a more dominant male… a soldier, or a hunter… if she could find one, and they would ride off into the sunset and have many strong-blooded offspring…

Kagome chuckled.

She would have, but there was still the second part of their plan. And she had to secure the means to take care of Kikyo. Her fairytale ending was never a possibility.

The carriage abruptly stopped, and the two sisters stopped their conversation.

"Quiet," Sango said, "Something is on the border."

Miroku squinted, "What is that?" he said, trying to make out of the shapes in the twilight dim. "Looks like… a white Inu? What are those other figures?"

"Wolves," Shippo answered.

"Not just wolves," Kagome said. _What the hell is that Inu thinking._

* * *

The Western Lord was able to fell the two giant beasts. They lay mangled and bloody before him, on the frozen surface of the lake they stood at. The snow fell heavy and burning on his own gashes, and his throat had already been slit open from the attack. Apparently, they were not just ordinary wolves, they had strong poison in their fluids, and it was slowly corroding his normally resistant skin.

There was still one giant wolf left, and although it barely stood, heavily damaged and half of its face bitten off, it shuffled towards him…

A snarl of warning on its fangs, a prideful, dying attempt.

The white Inu did not waste any time. He lunged towards the beast, equally towering himself, throwing them both on the unforgiving surface, cracking the frozen lake underneath them.

The white Inu found himself on the side of the Northern border, now on the position of the defensive. He launched himself towards the dark beast and clamped his jaw on its throat, tearing into sinewy muscle, crushing into bone.

The wolf howled in agony.

The white Inu thrashed the now defenseless beast, the wolf's blood splaying on the Demon Lord's white fur, the sound of bones snapping and desperate gurgling as it took in blood-drowned air. The Demon Lord went all out, tearing open its gut, disemboweling the twitching beast so that its eviscerated organs lay open for anyone who would dare challenge him to see.

And then everything went still… but not for long.

There was a distant flapping of wings, and golden eyes lifted to the starless sky.

A giant red _Wyvern_ ,

One of the deadliest, oldest dragons of the East.

And it was then that he realized: the poison, the abnormal strength-

The wolves were the Dragon's _favorite_ … sent to scout the borders for any treasure it could hoard.

The Demon Lord staggered back. He was already injured as he was, there was no way in his restricted energy he could stand against this vicious sentinel. And the dragon's colossal body neared, its piercing screams almost shattering the ice below his feet, sending a flow of blood from his ears at the ear-shattering pitch.

Still, he gathered his fight together, his lips curling into an offensive snarl. And he braced himself as the Wyvern closed in, its internal red fire gathering within its unhinged jaw,

And another scream reverberated in the unforgiving air, as the Wyvern prepared to blast its seismic energy to the insignificant recipient.

The Demon Lord refused to be felled with his tail between his legs. With claws digging deep into the surface of the frozen lake, he charged against the gargantuan, summoning whatever counter strike was left of him.

But then, a sudden streak of blue illuminated the dark sky.

It zipped over the white Inu, the fiery blaze trailing azure stardust on its wake. And the Demon Lord halted, in awe at the shower of sparks on his form, at the blinding brightness that left him staggering.

He skidded to a screeching stop, sliding in the ice, dragging his claws for anchorage. The blinding energy struck the charging Wyvern, and it exploded on the ancient sentinel, the blue flame spreading like liquid fire.

The Wyvern swayed in the air, losing bodily control.

The Demon Lord need not step back- another domineering figure leaped over his injured form: an ironclad horseman, mounted on a black war stallion. They landed before him, he could see the familiar trail of blue stardust-like residue falling from their every movement: the warrior had a bow and arrow up in the offensive,

And released.

Another streak of deadly blue fire tore through the darkness, crashing against the ancient Wyvern, detonating on its face the moment it hit its hide. And the sky was another explosion of blinding light, the liquid-like fire, heavy in density, dripping like water from the dragon's burning body.

The frozen lake melted from the contact of the unusual energy.

And the dragon came crashing towards them, on the fragile, glass-like lake, breaking the surface, plunging into the thick ice.

The horseman pulled on its reins, the horse reared. And they turned, charging towards the direction of the White Inu. The solid lake was giving way beneath them, but the stallion gained speed. And the horseman leaned down and extended his hand- and still tearing through the harsh, biting Northern winds, grabbed the Inu by its neck and lifted him up with such with abnormal strength. With one strong heave, the warrior unceremoniously plunked the Inu before him, the stallion grunting at the sudden added weight.

"A little bit more, Kodiak… bear this a little bit more." The horseman cooed, reassuring the mighty beast of burden. And the Demon Lord stiffened.

His golden eyes flashed in realization; the warrior was small, the armor was definitely _womanly_ \- conforming to her small hips, her generous breasts, dangerously exposing her slender neck and small chin, her helm covering half of her face.

Her petal lips were curled downwards. "Tie him!" She commanded, as three other black-clad horsemen sped past them, charging towards the opposite direction, to the giant Wyvern that was now clawing its way up the lake.

"We'll meet you there, Your Highness!" one of them answered.

 _Your Highness?_

The Demon Lord watched as the three other horsemen shot binding ribbons towards the Wyvern, seizing it at its neck. The sentinel screeched yet again, damaging their eardrums, shaking the ground beneath.

And as the woman-warrior reached the shore, she dumped the White Inu on the ground. The Demon Lord tried to regain his bearings and his flickering consciousness. Soft footfalls came running towards them, and he looked up.

Another woman was approaching them with a worried expression on her face. "What happened?" Her soft hands frantically hovered over his injured body.

"Damn Inu killed a dragon's favorite," the soldier said, "Kikyo, can you heal him?"

 _Kikyo?_ The Demon Lord thought,

 _My betrothed, The First Daughter of the Northern King?_

He looked at the white-clad woman. Brown eyes, ebony black hair, she was truly beautiful as the legends had said. And a soft blue glow emanated from her, filling him with her healing energy… his eyes suddenly felt heavy, her gentle blue fire lulling him to sleep.

"Where are you going?!" Kikyo demanded in alarm.

"Stay here and tend to the inu." The black-clad warrior commanded, manipulating her stallion towards the direction of the chaos. "I'll make this quick." The stallion's hooves came crashing on the ground, and she rode off towards the berserk sentinel, storming straight towards the colossal bedlam.

It thrashed against the binds, "Your Highness! We can't hold much longer!"

The sentinel suddenly opened its jaw, and a piercing sound assaulted their ears. A great ball of red, seismic energy started to form in the beast's fanged mouth-

"Shit!" The black-clad warrior cursed, pulling on the reins, her horse skidding into an abrupt stop. She raised her hand, a sudden influx of blue power erupted from the very ground she was on, and it ran like a bolt of lightning, cracking through the earth.

The azure lightning surged towards the three horsemen on her perimeter, towards the first princess and the white inu.

A brilliant flash of blue filled his vision-

And the dragon let out another earsplitting screech and hurled its seismic red fire.

The Demon Lord involuntarily closed his eyes. The red blast was so strong he could feel the scorching energy fray the air around them…

But they were not burned.

He opened his eyes and held his breath. He stared in awe: the blue fire had acted as an unlikely barrier, protecting them from the impossibly strong force.

And the red flames were dying down. Another earsplitting screech, the Wyvern was summoning another ball of seismic fire.

But the Western Lord could see from the fading blue fire-barrier,

The black-clad warrior charged yet again, directly towards the open jaw of the colossal sentinel.

She propped herself from the charging stallion, her hands hovering over her hips, sliding her axe from her belt. And as they reached the gap between the solid lake and the freezing waters where the dragon fell, she dismounted from her stallion and leaped.

Blue fire exploded from her hands, channeling through her giant axe.

She plunged the heavy blade into the dragon's hide.

The strike was so strong that it impaled through its skull - an impossible feat as a Wyvern's hide was as strong as steel- and golden blood spurted from the gash, violently splaying against the warrior's black armor.

The seismic fire in its jaw flickered, instantly dying like a candle blown by the wind.

The Wyvern screeched, sinking into the depths of the lake.

And the already frayed binds withdrew, and she pulled her axe and leaped away, bolting towards her bounding horse, grabbing hold of the reins and mounted with fluid expertise.

The entirety of the lake came crumbling away, melting from the dragon's dying breath.

But the warriors were already safe on the shore, their shoulders heaving, catching their breath. They dismounted their horses, vainly swiping the heavy snow that rested on their armors.

The Western Lord looked up, as the black-clad warrior, the one who possessed that fiery blue fire, stalked up towards them, the golden blood of the perished sentinel glistening on her form-fitting armor.

 _Who are you..._

"Kikyo," she said, the dragon's blood still dripping from her axe. She strapped the weapon on her hip, "I'm sorry but we have to move forward. There is too much destruction here, if someone caught us lingering, our plan will be highly compromised."

 _What are you…_

"I understand," Kikyo said, withdrawing her warm energy. The biting cold of the winter immediately penetrated through the Inu's fur, but he did not notice.

He did not see the heavy snowfall around them, covering the burn and the scorch and the ashes from the encounter.

What he saw were the preternatural blue eyes of the warrior, blazing in the darkness, like the overwhelming fire she held within her.

"Your Highness," one of the soldiers walked up behind them, "The carriage has been yoked."

Kikyo nodded, "Come now," She prodded the Inu, who was already healed enough to at least stand. And as they entered the carriage, the warrior lingered by the open door, making sure they were safe and secure inside.

"Kagome," Kikyo suddenly said, "My baby sister…"

And the Inu's eyes subtly widened.

The warrior shifted, taking off her helm. Long ebony locks spilled down to her tiny waist, she heaved a breath, releasing a puff of fogged air from her parted lips.

And the Western Lord finally saw her face.

 _How can someone_

 _be so beautiful_ …

His beast was suddenly restless, it stirred in him like never before.

"I'm unharmed." Kagome answered, "We have to get going."

Then ironclad warrior paused and tilted her head, looking down at the Inu, intrigued by its curious gaze.

"My eldest sister holds a healing energy." She suddenly said to him, "But no one else knows that I, the sixth daughter, possess the extreme opposite."

Her hands suddenly flared a malicious liquid fire, dripping from her arm to the white slush, hissing as it melted the snow on the ground. "I also hold a blue fire, but unlike a safe warmth, mine is _blighting_.

I leave death on my touch, if I willed it."

The Demon Lord stood unmoving, mesmerized.

"Looks like you get to be an unwilling recipient of my secret, huh?" And she grinned, her chin tilted haughtily up, her blue eyes fixed on his.

She sent him an aura of taunting intimidation.

A warning, the Demon Lord surmised, a threat to keep his silence. And a devastating fire within him erupted, his golden eyes bleeding into red.

A heat like no other spread in him. Of anticipation, and challenge, and _lust_ … consuming him. For the first time, he found himself struggling for control.

He snarled, the overwhelming desire to lunge at her and clamp down on her pretty neck- to claim her solely as his- engulfed his usually rational thinking whole.

"Kagome," Kikyo said, pulling the Inu inside, the Demon Lord reining in his bearings, "Stop scaring the poor dog,"

The sixth princess merely smirked. "Can't you take a tease?" she chuckled, withdrawing her fire, her eyes drifting focus back to the vast tundra. "Please do rest, both of you. We will wake you up if we come across an inn, you need to sleep in proper beds." She turned back to them and smiled. "Good night."

She closed the door before them.

Kikyo leaned on the plush cushions as the carriage was being tugged forward. She reached out and stroked her hands on the Inu's head, and her energy spread through his wounds yet again. "That was my youngest sister, Kagome." She sighed, restarting her healing, "Please don't be deterred by her destructive fire… she has… a pure heart,

My baby sister."

The Western Lord, still in his Inu form, stubbornly pushed her hands away and leaned towards the window. He was healed enough to move, he could heal by himself at this point.

Using his muzzle he nudged the curtain away, trying to catch another glimpse at the woman stained in the Wyvern's golden blood.

"Inu," Kikyo called out, "Come and rest. You are too injured."

He did not listen, he could not listen.

 _I know who you are,_

He felt the sixth princess' concealed blue energy spread throughout the perimeter, secretly probing for any danger, testing the atmosphere around them as they trudged into new territory.

 _I know what you are._

And he finally lay eyes on her, her form silhouetted in the dark as she rode beside the horsemen, engaged in a hushed conversation.

 _You are mine._

Golden eyes were completely swallowed by bloody red.

 _You will be mine._


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Standard disclaimer applies.

* * *

 _ **Chapter 2**_

 _Evening Flight_

* * *

Biting cold. He thought his claws would fall off from the freeze, but they managed to stay intact. The sun had already risen, but it was hard to tell as they had been trudging through the blinding snowstorm for hours.

Although the warmth of Kikyo's healing energy diffused inside the carriage, it was still numbing cold. He was used to snowy winters, but not this brutal, penetrating frost. How the black-clad soldiers outside were able to withstand such cruel temperatures with only the armor on their backs was bewildering.

He recalled in great detail the practiced expertise of the group when they conquered the Wyvern.

If he were to judge, he would have surmised that they had done it countless times.

And the sixth princess, who advanced against the colossus and delivered the final blow without so much as a flinch…

There was a tap in the carriage door and the Inu's ears perked up in alarm.

"We're here." Came Sango's steeled voice. Sesshomaru rushed to the window and paused.

Towering stone and steel barbicans rose from his vision, the sheer size of the gigantic fortress sweeping his breath away. Their destination looked like an ancient stronghold, and he never knew there was something like this in the borders of the North.

"This is Al 'Harani, the port city of the East. One of the neutral strongholds of the Mystic Kingdom," Kikyo said, blinking away her slumber as she settled beside the large inu. From what little they can see, the Sixth Princess' outline was by the gates, still concealed with her black armor, mounted on her war stallion. Her shoulders severe, her posture strict and rigid. She was engaged in yet another hushed conversation with one of the fortress hierophants.

And then her gaze suddenly turned to them, her blue eyes like an intense fire in the midst of the blinding whiteout.

A creaking, groaning noise bounced throughout the mountain range that nestled the fortress. The sound of reeling chains reverberated as the giant gates opened, and they held on as the carriage suddenly lurched to a start.

They hurried along a brick-paved, snow-buried path. Sesshomaru watched the blurred structure of the inns, dimly-lit shops, loud taverns. There were lumbering Northern hunters, cloaked Eastern mages, there were even sword-wielding samurai and geisha from the West… a cacophony of people, keeping to themselves or in small groups, milling about and going through their own business amid the heavy storm.

Their carriage halted and Sesshomaru turned to see Kikyo bundling herself up in her furs. She nodded to him, and the door opened before them.

The rush of the freeze blasted through the open carriage door. Outside the blizzard was hellish, and the vista was still clouded and obscured from the storm.

It penetrated through his thick fur, and he involuntarily shivered.

"Al 'Harani has been buried in eternal snow since the emergence of the New World." A familiar voice explained, and golden eyes narrowed towards the source. There she was, the object of his unrequited affections, standing by the door as if she were not even touched with the infernal cold. "You better get used to it, inu." She gave him a taunting smirk.

The Demon Lord snarled yet again, his eyes bleeding into feral red.

"Kagome, I told you to stop teasing the poor dog," Kikyo pulled him from his collar, snapping him from his trance. The first princess then turned northbound and pointed to faint outlines.

From afar, giant airships floated, anchored down from equally towering structures: Floating galleons suspended by the strong currents of magic overflow.

"We'll be taking a short trip through the currents. It's the quickest way to the North," Kikyo said. "The first galleon sails tonight. We'll have the whole day to replenish." The first princess stepped forward to exit the carriage.

Kagome's metal-clad hand reached out to offer her stability, like a zealous Chevaleresse always on the heels of her fragile princess.

* * *

They entered a rather large inn, and when they closed the door behind them the freeze immediately halted. The howling blizzard winds from outside were silenced, as if a heavy enchantment had wrapped around the insignificant structure.

The golden light of the many lanterns bathed the lobby with an eerie glow.

"How many?" The innkeeper said -an incubus- his bat-like wings kept folded from the limited space.

Sesshomaru's companions had never taken their concealments off.

"A separate room for me," Shippo said.

Miroku reached out, snaking his hand around Sango's waist, "Both of us will share."

The other female knight, the one stained with golden blood, turned to the white-cloaked woman. "Sister, do you wish to share with the Inu? He might need more healing," Kagome said. Kikyo nodded in affirmative.

But then the incubus swept his gaze towards the Sixth Princess in her form-fitting mail. His eyes lingered on the tiny waist constricted by her corset-like armor, her fragile neck, to half the face that was not covered with her helm. "Will you be taking a room to yourself, my lady?"

An absolutely possessive, hair-raising growl filled the lobby. It was the white Inu, who had slipped from Kikyo's grasp and stood in between Kagome and the Incubus.

"My apologies." The innkeeper graciously bowed, hiding a flash of disappointment in his eyes.

From behind, Kagome hid a chuckle of amusement. They started towards the inn, following the incubus as it led them into the second level to their rooms.

* * *

Kagome finally closed the doors before Kikyo, making sure she set up a protective barrier around her sister's perimeter. " _Just in case that Incubus gets any funny ideas."_ She said with a murderous last glare, before they entered into their own room.

It was at the very last corner of the inn. Quite cozy, with a large bed, a fireplace and a privacy screen at the corner. Towels were slung at the screen, and from behind they could see steam rising from the fresh warm bath that was prepared for their use.

And the innkeeper closed the door before them. The Demon Lord, for one last time, tried to summon all self-control. He will not scare her, nor chase her away. She was his chosen sanctuary. She deserved to be courted like the rare woman that she was.

That is, only until how long before his self-control would snap.

"Let me go first," She suddenly said, dropping her armor on the floor. "No offense, but I'm cleaner than you right now. And I won't need as much water," she said as she walked behind the privacy screen.

From the screen could see her silhouette, her curves and swells coming to a teasing view as she disrobed. She chucked the skin-tight leather onto the floor, and she soaked herself on the tub for a short while.

He could hear the splashing of water, her gentle humming.

The Demon Lord concentrated on counting the number of wooden beams that held the roof of the room, trying to distract himself from his thoughts that were proving to be quite problematic…

"Inu," she suddenly cooed, "Come."

The Demon Lord stiffened.

The splashing of water was absolutely distracting. "Don't dally, or else the water will turn cold for both of us." She said rather impatiently.

With hesitant steps, the Demon Lord padded to the privacy screen, and he stopped just before he reached the tub. Blue eyes met his golden gaze.

"Finally decided to join me?" she said with a raised brow.

With his eyes fixed on the woman, he quickly stepped into the tub.

She moved to give him way. Water trickled down from her soaked hair, down to the swell of her bountiful breasts, to that notably tiny waist. And the tempting view disappeared when she submerged herself yet again, but his limbs brushed the bare skin of her legs as he tried to settle down.

He was thankful he was submerged in water, or else it would be an embarrassing debacle. What else would be more frightening to a naked woman than having a giant beast parading a massive erection before her?

She knelt before him and gave him a gentle smile. "You look like a frightened little puppy," she reached out and started shampooing his hair, scratching behind his ears. "I was quite confident to have you sleep at my bed, I thought you would protect me from the scary pervert incubus."

Sesshomaru yipped and leaned forward to lick her face. She laughed as she wiped his drool off. "Now don't be too confident," she warned, "Just because you're beautiful, doesn't mean you could go and steal a maiden's first kiss."

The white inu yipped again and licked her on her lips. She laughed, the carefree sound melting all his stresses away. He pushed his muzzle playfully, and she received him with a warm hug. "I'm beginning to like you, white Inu." She nonchalantly smiled, as she raked her hands on his fur, puffing him up with lather, very careful with his gashes that had healed quite quickly.

And she gave him a mischievous smirk.

"You're such a joy to tease."

Gathering all her abnormal strength, she shoved him down the water.

The Demon Lord thrashed in genuine reflex, unable to breathe.

And she released her weight, the Inu broke the surface of the water and gasped for air, eyes wide in shock. Did she just try to drown him?

He heard a sultry chuckle from the side.

Still as naked as the day she was born, she was giving him a sly sidelong glance.

She was _playing._

"Oh, decided to stop? I thought dogs loved water." She teased, reaching out to the slung towel and started to wipe herself dry. And she was unconsciously giving him a view of her slender back, her waist-length hair sticking to her damp skin, and her bare, sumptuous derriere. She covered herself with a dry sleeping robe. "Come now, let's dry you off."

And Sesshomaru was quite thankful for the not-so-threat to his life. He was so shocked by the sudden near-drowning attempt that it had tamed his painful erection.

He stepped out of the water and allowed her ministrations.

* * *

Once they had finished she walked past the small table that held warm food and headed straight to the bed, plopping herself unceremoniously. Her ebony hair, now dry from enchantment, fanned across the stark white linens like a spill of moonlight, cascading to the floor like a waterfall.

From the food table, the Demon Lord seized a turkey leg with his jaw. He dropped it in front of her and nudged her with his nose. But at the moment she did not seem quite interested.

"I think I need to sleep this day through, white inu. I haven't slept for seven days straight."

Sesshomaru dropped the food back on the table and climbed up to bed beside her. He sank down the mattress, she adjusted herself to lying on her back. He rested his head on her soft chest, whining as he licked her cheek in comfort.

"You're not an ordinary inu, are you?" she said in her somnolence, running her hands through his silky fur. She was falling asleep. "If I would have known any better, I would think… that you're a person… disguised in some inu form…" she was nodding off into dreamland. "Crazy, huh?" she chuckled, and she finally fell into slumber.

Sesshomaru wanted to stay awake and keep her safe as she rested. But as he watched the golden flicker of the lamp play on her beautiful face, he found that his beast was slowly lulled into sleep.

* * *

She dreamt of strong arms restraining her as she tried to turn to the other side of the bed. In her dreams, she moaned in protest, and the strong arms answered by crushing her into his bare chest.

Her prison was sensuously warm. The upper part of her robe was open from tossing in her sleep, and now her bare skin was pressing against his taut muscles. Instead of pushing away she buried herself deeper into him.

As she molded into his heat, a calming low rumble emanated from his chest as he breathed, like a contented purr. Soft, silky hair tickled her face, and Kagome's eyes fluttered open from dreamland.

She immediately stiffened.

It was not a dream.

"What in the SEVEN HELLS!" she screamed, flying out of bed like a rodent caught in a trap. Her foot tangled on the blankets, sending her crashing face-first to the floor. All the clumsy commotion roused the man on her bed to wake. He stirred as he tried to sit up. But his movements were cut short.

Not only blue eyes were on him, but the shiny metal blade of her giant axe, which was aimed inches to his neck.

"Who are you and what the hell are you doing on my bed!?" Her murderous glare was enough to freeze hell over.

The Demon Lord only blinked, and Kagome paused. She looked down, to where his eyes were fixed.

The Sixth Princess gasped. Her giant axe fell on the floor as she hurriedly gathered the edges of her open robe. She had not tied it through the night. She spun around sharply, hiding her exposed body in embarrassment.

Sesshomaru realized he had somehow morphed back into his normal form. He was back as a man… a naked man, and he smirked as he realized the Sixth Princess' fluster.

He stood from the bed and walked towards her, his lean, muscular frame brushing against her back. Her muscles stiffened in tension, she even held her breath. "Don't you recognize me?" he purred, purposefully leaning down to whisper in her ear,

She jumped when he braced his hands on her shoulders and spun her towards him. She had her eyes shut tight, her hands on the edges of her robe sealing it closed.

"It's me, your white Inu,"

A spark of recognition flashed in her eyes. But she drowned in hesitation, At the same time, something caught Sesshomaru's attention. The mirror behind him reflected their images:

His towering, and very naked form, looming over a thinly-robed Kagome, who was as rigid as a doll. But his focus was on his face.

The Demon Lord forgot one single detail.

He was still under his heavy concealment spell.

A sudden shame washed over him as if he were doused with cold water. Allies and enemies alike had highly praised him for his physical appearance, and he had never really cared what other people thought of him.

But this moment was different.

He was a stark contrast to the ravishing woman before him. He still had the same tall stature, same muscular, lean physique, but he held deep battle scars all over his body, and his face was heavily burned, beyond recognition.

Compared to the nymph before him, he was a monster.

In the past he would use this mask for his amusement, going into brothels or high-class functions and watch the women's abhorred reactions when he tried to touch them, or even talk to them.

Sesshomaru slowly pulled away, realizing he had probably disgusted her. She had not moved since, not uttered a single word.

And a desperation came into him. He could not drop the concealment spell because he used the family's milieu magic instead of his own. And he could only do that if he was back in his castle. He was stuck in this repulsive, ugly mask. And for the first time in his life, he was ashamed of his appearance.

He gathered himself, trying to conjure a believable explanation when she suddenly shifted. And he looked down at her. She still had her face turned away from him, but she held a curious red flush to her beautiful cheeks.

She was blushing.

"Put on a shirt," she suddenly yelled, "At least put on something, you pervert!"

The Western King's eyes widened, and he quickly reached out to the blankets and covered his manhood. Kagome then shyly took a peek to see if he listened to her desperate plea.

Her gaze fell on his face, and then the blush only got heavier.

She spun around again, avoiding eye contact.

Somehow, her unusual reaction was slowly trickling his shame away.

He stepped forward, trying to verify his suspicions.

And she stepped away, her blush still intact.

It was his time to smirk. "Is the princess scared of this monster?" he tested, lurching down, whispering into her ear yet again. And she spun around, furiously red, her blue eyes blazing in anger.

"Monster or not, you're still a man!" she admitted.

"A man? Are you not deterred by this revolting being in front of you?" He asked blatantly, his confidence slowly regaining. And much to his delight, she squirmed in tension.

"Scars only show what someone has been through," she murmured, "Your face does not reveal who you are." She finally locked gazes with him. "And unless you lack that certain… appendage," Her eyes trailed down, from his face, to his chest, down to the bulge between his thighs... she gulped nervously,

and tore her gaze back to his face, trying so hard not to be distracted.

But she apparently was. She cleared her throat, "As I was saying, unless you lack that certain appendage… which is so obviously there," she shook her head, utterly scatter-brained, unable to continue.

He chuckled in amusement, but what happened next caught him off guard.

She lunged at him, and he tripped, falling back into bed. The thinly-robed princess straddled him, pinning him down with her hips, and she wrapped her fingers around his neck.

"Are you laughing at me?" She snapped, her pretty lips curled into a frown. "Don't get too cocky. You're the only man to have seen and touched me so intimately, and the thought of it would bring any woman to discomfit." Her fingers tightened, "But that discomfit is only temporary, it doesn't give you the privilege to get frisky with me."

She leaned down and whispered to his ear, "As far as I know, you're still a stranger. And I could kill you easily if I wanted to." Her hands flickered a bright blue, but before it could build offense, she found her world spinning upside down.

He pushed her roughly, flipping her on her back, so she was the one pinned to the bed. He shifted all his weight to her, seizing her flaring hands. "You could have, but you didn't." He grinned, "I have a strong suspicion."

Kagome's eyes narrowed.

"My sense of smell is usually very reliable. Be honest with me, princess.

Your beast is attracted to me,

it stirs within you when I'm close,"

She snarled in anger, "You arrogant bastard –"

"You don't have to deny it, I can smell your arousal."

he leaned close, his silver hair falling from his shoulders like a silk curtain, "Trust me, the attraction is mutual."

Kagome's blue eyes darkened.

And the Demon Lord suddenly lurched in pain, the princess had kicked him in the gut.

The fiery woman hissed in rage.

All thought of self-control in the Demon Lord snapped. Without losing a beat he dipped down and crushed his lips against hers.

The Sixth Princess gasped, and she thrashed against him. She did not attack him with her flame,

but she bit his tongue, and he pulled away, savoring the metallic taste of his blood on her fluids.

The Inuyoukai's eyes were blood red. "I don't think you heard me, Princess. I said… the attraction is mutual," he ground his hips against hers, "I'm besotted… utterly… captivated…" he trailed off, capturing her lips softly. And he smiled in secret, because the Princess' fiery flame died down, until it was nothing more than a red flush to her skin from the escalating heat.

The Western King's tongue explored deeper, he sucked her harder. And she could only gasp, her hands traveling to the bare skin of his scar-riddled back, pulling him closer.

He parted her robes open. He pulled back slightly to drink in the intoxicating view of his future queen, lying exposed and vulnerable to him, generous breasts that he could suckle, soft, creamy skin that he could savor, her untouched womanhood…. all to himself.

He bared his fangs.

Kagome's eyes widened in alarm, "Don't –"

He dipped down to clamp at her neck. But a loud banging on the door halted the coupling.

Sesshomaru had barely even blinked, he found she had slipped from his grasp.

Kagome was already by the door and fumbling on the locks.

"The Air Ship leaves soon," Was Sango's reminder. She stood beside Miroku and Shippo sans Kikyo by the open doorway, "Where's your new pet?" Sango trailed off when instead of a giant beast, there was a man on the bed- a naked one- with only the sheets covering his lower half.

Silver hair, golden eyes. They immediately knew who he was. And they stared at him quite shamelessly: his facial features were deformed, his body riddled with scars. He was… an unfortunate beast of a man.

And he was _glaring_ at them as if they had gravely offended him. Miroku stepped back and stared at Kagome.

Her sleeping robe was on disarray, her cheeks were flushed and her lips swollen from an obvious attack. And it dawned on the group, the realization.

"Uh, did we interrupt something?" Miroku blurted out.

"No! Perfect timing, actually." Kagome said as she pulled Sango with her, "Can I change in your room? I need some privacy." She looked back and glared at the man.

"Umm, okay?" Sango looked at Miroku as Kagome dragged her away.

"Alright," Shippo said, scratching his head in awkward tension, "Uhm, mister, you can come with us… but maybe I should get you some clothes first."

As they made their preparations, they failed to see a dark outline, hidden in the shadows, quietly observing.

* * *

A round of mead was enough to keep them occupied until near-sunrise. The Demon Lord remained quiet as he tried to get acquainted with his new companions.

It seemed like the three other royal soldiers were familiar to the Sixth Princess, and therefore he wished to fall into their good graces.

For the rest of the day, he would follow closely beside her, remain quiet when he sat beside his future queen, his shoulders purposefully brushing hers, and keep himself busy by attending to her needs as his instincts dictated him to.

The Princess seemed to be unaccustomed to such doting. She would steal secret glances at him every now and then, but she never really pushed him away.

And although the awkward tension between them lingered, it became quite clear to the Demon Lord, one glaring truth.

 _At this point, it's only her._

 _No one else will do._

* * *

"So… what are you? What do you do for a living," Shippo leaned on the railing of the deck. They had boarded the ship, ascended above the storm clouds uneventfully. The giant masts of the galleons flapped against the warmer wind as they drifted through the air.

"I hunt beasts," Sesshomaru lied.

"A hunter, huh? Good thing Lady Higurashi was with us when we chanced upon you. No way in the seven hells could we have handled that Wyvern ourselves." Shippo chuckled, and he brought his gaze from the obscure view to the deformed man before him. " You're damn lucky, Inu."

"Getting the Lady Higurashi's trust is as difficult as getting blood out of stone," Miroku watched him with veiled suspicion, "She never warms up to anyone in such a short amount of time. Hell, she only trusts a handful of people in the castle. What enchantment have you slipped on her?"

Shippo pushed Miroku away, "Miroku."

"I'll be honest with you, Inu. You're a stranger. And you're no knight in shining armor. In fact, everything has been on reverse. She saved you from the dragon—"

"Miroku—"

The soldier pushed him away, "If I won't hold back I'd say you're not suitable for our fair princess. She may just be the youngest and the least known in our kingdom, but to tell you honestly, she is worth more than all the Princesses combined."

Miroku stopped when the tip of a hostile sword was drawn to his throat.

It was the Inu's, his eyes were narrowed in a challenge.

"Okay, okay. would you please just put down that sword?" Shippo shook his head, casually putting a hand over Sesshomaru's blade and shoving it down, "Sorry, Inu. He grew up together with the Lady Higurashi, he's just being overprotective." The fox youkai shifted, "Anyway, whoever the Lady Higurashi trusts, we also do."

Miroku crossed his arms in front of him, "She had no choice but to bring you into the secret."

The Demon Lord's eyes narrowed. "I see that you're evacuating the First Princess away from the Northern Throne." His tone hardened, "Are you trying to bail out the First Daughter from her arranged marriage?"

The two soldiers fell into a lull of silence.

"The Great Dog Demon of the West will not take the disappearance of his betrothed lightly." A newcomer settled before them.

It was the Sixth Princess, clad in black cloak and hood.

She settled a fair distance beside Sesshomaru, and she cast her precious gaze to the breaking clouds. "That is why there is the second part of the plan, the one we did not tell my sister about."

She motioned the two soldiers, and they nodded in acknowledgment. Once they left their presence, Kagome leaned on the deck railing and reached out, running her fingers through the dense clouds as if it were water. "What do you think the second part is, Inu?" she raised a brow, challenging him with a sly smirk.

The Western King studied her carefully. "If I were to tell, you'd look for a way to eliminate the Dog Demon himself."

The Sixth Princess withdrew her hand, and she laughed. The sound like distant bells reviving his lonely soul, she reached out and patted his cheek. "Nice try," she said, and she pulled her hand away before he could snatch it and never let go. "But I don't care about the Dog Demon enough to kill him. I have nothing against him, I don't know him. And besides, how could I kill him? Through poison?

My intelligence from the West says he is immune to it."

Her blue eyes darkened.

"Once Kikyo is reunited with her lover, we go back and wait for the ceremony. And then I take Kikyo's place."

* * *

Rough hands dug into the flesh of her shoulders. Sesshomaru snarled, pulling her to him. "You wouldn't dare give yourself to another man—"

The notion of being jealous against _himself_ was ridiculous. But the thought of her being willing enough to offer herself to someone else had perplexed him to no end. At that moment he just wanted to drag her to him and mark her then and there.

He had to control himself.

"He wouldn't be known throughout the four kingdoms if he were a fool." Kagome said, "Kikyo is a swan halfling, and she possesses a blue fire. If we replace her with a mere virgin servant, he will notice the switch immediately." She pulled away from him. "He will wage war against the North."

Kagome turned to the direction of the wind, tossing her hair in a mesmerizing cascade of inky black. "My Father the King, he is pure Faerie. And as you can see, his six daughters are mostly of different blood, from different youkai mothers. Kikyo is half-swan. Ayame and Kanna are of wolf. Souten has the blood of a thunder youkai, Kagura is a halfling wind-nymph. I, the youngest… share the same attributes as Kikyo.

I am her pure sister. We are born of the same mother.

I am a halfling swan, and I possess a blue fire. So I am the only one who could replace Kikyo, and not bring suspicion to the cunning Demon Lord."

His fingers only dug deeper, anger seeping through his veins as he braced his hands on her small shoulders, "Perhaps you only wanted the power the Western Throne had to offer—"

Her hands suddenly flared bright blue, and the Demon Lord abruptly pulled back. She had scalded him with her liquid fire.

He settled his gaze back to her, and he immediately regretted his accusation. She was looking back at him with wide, vulnerable eyes.

"Princess,"

"A stranger like you will never understand." She said, looking away. "You think that this will benefit me? When I was very young, I would dream of settling down with a high-level soldier… or a rogue, or even a mercenary. I would carry his children proudly, we would live a peaceful life."

Sesshomaru reached out, but she stepped back.

"My Father the King is a good man. But after he had his first daughter, he began taking other consorts… and it broke my mother's heart.

Swan youkais, you see, are deathly loyal to their mate.

Imagine the hurt it had rooted into my dear mother, seeing her chosen one love someone else, have children with someone else. She was dying, slowly withering away.

In the end Father had me, as a reassurance to my mother that he still loved her.

But could you really love so many women at the same time?

I was by her deathbed when she took her last breath. It may sound ridiculous, but I do believe my mother died from a broken heart.

I resolved, ever since, that I would never want to fall for a king.

We are finicky lovers. Once we love someone, we can never really go back. This… flaw… is our fatal weakness. I have to bail Kikyo out. She does not love the Western King, she loves his hanyou brother."

Sesshomaru's eyes narrowed. "Inuyasha?"

"I don't want her to wither away like my mother."

So that was the second part of the plan. What if he had not come across them when he encountered the Wyvern? A betrayal would happen, right under his critical watch, and he would never be aware of it.

 _But I would have fallen in love with you, nevertheless._

It angered him, to know that she might not hold the same affection. It would be his mother and father's union, all over again.

A silent pawn in his lonely castle.

 _But I still would have fallen in love with you,_

 _nevertheless._

He strode forward and pulled her closer, his anger helplessly dissipating, and he crushed her small body against his. "You say that with such conviction. Yet you do not love the Western Lord either."

Kagome cast her gaze away. "The plan was perfect. Since I am not emotionally involved with the Western Lord, or with anyone else, for that matter, I could have easily played my role. For most of my life, I have pretended to be as normal as possible. It would be easy for me to play a pithless woman before him. And if he decides to take other consorts, it wouldn't affect me in any way." She said ruthlessly, her eyes locked against his.

"But then I came across a foolish Inu, and just that one encounter has complicated the future I had so carefully mapped out." She tiptoed, whispering to his ear, " How is it possible to fall in love with someone you have just met? Is this just mere lust? Or is it cruel fate?" Her breath shook, and she shivered as he brushed his lips against hers. "I don't know you."

"Neither do I," he crooned, testing her with soft, light kisses to her lips.

"Inu, stay away from me. This… _attraction_ I hold towards you…

will be the ultimate cause of my downfall."

"I can't," He said in between inebriated breaths, "I won't." he yanked her small face towards him, capturing her in a passionate kiss.

He would have told her he was the Western Lord, that he was only under a heavy concealment spell. And he had no qualms about her being his only queen. That he would not dare take any consorts, they were of monogamous blood themselves.

But he knew that she most probably won't believe him.

He would be better off showing her when they reached their destination.

And the Demon Lord dipped down again to claim her sweet, eager lips, sighing in contentment. At least he knew one thing was certain.

 _Whether I am the Great Demon Dog of the West,_

 _Or an unknown, deformed hunter,_

 _I know with all confidence that you are mine._

 _Nothing can take you away from me._

 _You are mine._

* * *

The same shadow that loomed in the dark corners had followed them insidiously, still observing, still waiting.

The First Princess was still guarded like a fortress.

Always surrounded by high-energy level soldiers, and among the powerful group, two had stood out. The lady warrior with blue eyes, and the unsightly Inuyoukai, who inexplicably seemed to be the beautiful woman's lover.

He had to pass this knowledge on before they did their ambush.

He whispered something to the little companion that was perched on his shoulder, and upon concluding his message, the bird took flight.

It would only be time before they would reach the Western Port.


End file.
